Celtic Ranger Trials
by Bralt
Summary: The Celts are a superstitious people so what happens when three Araluen Rangers ride into the country with all the mysteries and superstions surrounding them? A littlt humor in some chapters. Not all. Please Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**This story was inspired by the witch trials. It might not end up how I planned but I'll keep the name the same so I don't confuse anybody.**

**Sorry that the chapters are so short. I update frequently so it shouldn't be to much of a problem.**

Celtic Ranger Trials

Prologue

"Gilan! Why are you here?" Will said excitedly as Gilan walked into the cabin.

"I need to talk to you and Halt." Gilan sat down across from his old mentor at the wooden table, breathing deeply as he smelled the stew Halt had made for supper.

Gilan smiled happily at Halt but didn't get a smile in return. He frowned then started making faces at Halt in attempt to make him smile. He failed but Will sniggered quite a bit.

"If you're done acting like a fool, I would like to know why you are here," Halt said dryly.

"Finally Halt! You're getting curious or impatient in your old age! I never thought I'd live to see the day Halt got curious!" Gilan teased.

"Get on with it. The sooner you tell me, the sooner you leave."

"You'll be with me long enough on our journey." Gilan smiled again. "We have to go to Celtica."

"Who is we?" Halt asked.

"You, Will and me. Duncan wants three people to go and make sure nothing bad is going on. Crowley chose us because he says there are two final year apprentices he can place in our positions. And Duncan and Crowley both want you to go."

"Why can't I go with two non-annoying people?" Halt said in his usual dark voice.

"Face it Halt, you don't know what you'd do without us," Gilan said smiling.

Halt sighed. "Fine. When do we leave?"

"As soon as possible."

"We leave at dawn tomorrow then." Halt looked at Will. "You better get to sleep, we have a long day in the saddle ahead."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters **

Chapter 1: Attacked

The trio rode into the border post making sure to go slowly enough not to be taken as a threat. As they got to the gate, they reined in and Halt waited for the gate to open as Gilan and Will continued their discussion.

"What do you all want?" A man looked at them through a slot in the door.

The man's eyes were wandering and wouldn't meet Halt's or his companion's eyes. Gilan and Will stopped talking and looked at the door in bewilderment.

"We come from Araluen in peace," Halt said officially.

They had abandoned their telltale signs of being a Ranger earlier. Right now, the cloak, the knives, the bow and the arrows were stashed in the saddle bags.

"Yes, yes. But who are you?"

Gilan and Will spotted the eyes and smiled. It was smart to have only the eyes exposed and not the entire body. Especially if you were questioning Halt.

"Araluen Ranger of Meric Fief at your service," Gilan said smiling. Halt glared at him.

Rangers were native to Araluen and no other country had them. It was helpful, for Araluen could become engaged in war with its surrounding countries at any time. It helped to have a few tricks and secrets.

"Ranger you say." The man's eyes disappeared and the trio was left alone.

"Good going Gilan. You're not supposed to go telling everybody you're a Ranger," Halt scolded.

"But we're in a treaty with Celtica. They already know about Rangers. Besides, it's not like I gave them a detailed explanation as to what a Ranger is," Gilan said defensively.

"That isn't why I'm annoyed. The Celts are the most superstitious people in the entire world. And we're Rangers. They know all the superstitions about Rangers, none of the truth. They believe we are sorcerers like all the towns people and farmers believe." Halt stopped and looked up as he heard a noise.

A second later stones the were falling from the sky. These weren't your average sized pebbles either, they were fist sized rocks. Halt looked over and saw Gilan and Will fall as they were struck by the rocks. While Halt was distracted, a rock smashed into the side of his head and he felt himself falling.

After that, it was blackness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 2: Unpleasantness

Halt's eyes fluttered open and he looked at his surroundings in confusion. He was in a stone chamber. There was an iron door across from him that was likely locked. The room was bare and featureless from what he could see. As he went to turn his head, he realized two things. First, he couldn't turn his head because it hurt too much where the rock had struck him. Second, he couldn't because he was bound to and unconscious Will and Gilan by his hands behind his back.

He groaned. Then the memories returned. Gilan's slip of the tongue, the rocks and finally the fall. He groaned again.

The door opened and he was momentarily startled. A big man walked in. Halt couldn't make out his features due to the fact that there was only a small window in the cell and it was sunset so not much light came through. Halt expected the man to talk and he prepared himself to answer. But instead he grunted in pain as the man hit him with something hard.

Halt slumped back unconscious for the second time that day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 3: Waking Halt

"Halt! Halt! Wake up!" Gilan continued to lightly slap his old mentor's face. He stopped. "It's not working Will. Just leave him some food."

"Okay," Will said from across the cell.

About an hour after the big man had knocked Halt out, Gilan and Will had woken up and been given a plate of stale bread and three glasses of water. The man had also untied them.

"Does he have a pulse?" Will walked over to Gilan and gave him his share of bread and water.

"Yeah but he has a quite a few nasty bumps on his head. Those rocks must have hit him hard." Gilan shook his head and took what Will gave him. "I just don't get it. We're supposed to be in peace with the Celts. I don't care how superstitious they are."

"Let me try to wake him up. Maybe he can explain all this." Will leaned down beside his old mentor as Gilan moved away. He started yelling in Halt's ear. "Halt! Wake up!" Will sat back and thought for a moment. He slapped Halt as hard as he could then yelled in his ear again. "Halt! We're stuck in a cell with no coffee and Gilan!"

Halt sat up when Will slapped him and glared daggers at Will as he continued to yell.

"Why must you hurt me?" Halt asked. Gilan started laughing and Halt turned on him. "If we were anywhere else, I would make you climb a pine tree and sleep in it. As a matter of fact, as soon as we get out of here I will make you climb the tree." GIlan backed down at Halt's glare.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 4: Dungeon Talk

"We saved you some food," Will said trying to stop Halt from killing Gilan.

"I've always wanted stale bread and murky water," Halt said. He took the stuff anyway.

"Wait!" Gilan jumped up from the corner he had backed into. "You said 'as soon as we get out of here'! You have a plan!"

"Sorry Gil. I have nothing. Not that I've had any time to think about it. Last time I woke up, I was rudely knocked out again." Halt grimaced at the memory.

"Oh." Gilan seemed a little put out. If Halt didn't have an idea, nobody would. "Do you at least know what's happening?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Halt finished his food and rubbed the bump on his head. "The Celts are superstitious. They know the stories surrounding Rangers. They think we are sorcerers and that we find fun in torturing others. They have multiple ways to get rid of anybody associated with magic. The most famous way is burning the people." Halt laid back on the damp floor and stared at the ceiling.

"But Gilan is the only one who said he was a Ranger. What do they want with you and me?" Will asked. He also laid back. Gilan started pacing.

"We are obviously associates of Gilan so they think we are involved in this magic business too." Halt stopped his explanation and sat up suddenly. "I hear somebody."

A minute later, the man Halt had come to despise so much walked in with a club. He looked at the prisoners with an evil smile. They couldn't see the smile, it was night and no light came through the window.

"Night night magic men. You're going to the king's house." The voice was deep and sounded like it belonged to a simpleton.

He swung his club and hit the three Rangers on their heads. For the third time that day, Halt fell unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 5: Bad News

Halt woke to the sound of hooves on cobblestones and the babble of excited people. Over the past two days, the three Rangers had been shoved into a wagon and transported to the village by the king's castle. They were entering the village now.

Wisely, Halt kept his eyes closed and didn't move out of the uncomfortable position he was currently in. On the journey to the village, Halt had awoken around six times and had been knocked out six times. The Rangers were only awakened when they had to be fed then they were knocked out again. All in all, Halt hated the man with the club.

"I think one's awake again!" The voice yelled to the driver.

"Knock him out again!" The driver called back.

Halt's eyes snapped open. "You hit me with that damned club again and I promise I'll behead you the next time I wake up," Halt said in a snarl.

The man with the club stepped back. Halt glared at him while he spoke with the driver. The man was big and burly. He looked as if he were a miner. Halt made a mental note to clap him over the head with the club whenever the chance arose. Maybe it would knock some sense into him.

The man stepped back to Halt. "You can stay awake. We're almost to the town center anyway. Might as well spend your final day awake." The man shrugged and returned to the seat by the driver.

Halt shifted to a comfortable position. He laid there for a moment then sat bolt upright. He looked at the men and found his voice.

"Did you say last day?" Halt tried to sound disinterested but couldn't keep the suspicion out of his voice.

"Yes. Sorcerers have to be beheaded or burned or have to die some other way. Can't have you running around cursing people," The man with the club said.

"Great," Halt muttered.

He slumped down and for once in his life wished that he could be knocked out. Even by the club man.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**This is a little sappy but I think it turned out okay**

Chapter 6: Sunset

Later, Gilan and Will awoke and the trio was bound together. The wagon was parked in front of an inn where the driver and other man would spend the night. The three left in the wagon looked at the sunset with a sinking feeling in their guts. This may be the last sunset they ever saw.

"Halt?" Gilan asked.

"Yes?" Halt looked to his right and looked at Gilan with sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't told them I was a Ranger, this wouldn't have happened. If you get a chance, I want you to take Will and run. Leave me." Gilan gazed at the sunset.

He would miss things like this. He would miss life and everything that went with it. Most of all, he would miss all the people he had come to know and love. If Halt and Will got away, they wouldn't let others spread rumors about his death. He knew this, but if they died here, all of them, nobody would know the truth. They would be leaving everybody they knew in the dark. He couldn't bear the thought.

"I won't leave you Gilan. I rather die knowing I did the right thing and stayed with you then live knowing I left you to die. I always said I would be the one to end you, but not like this." Halt shook his head and looked back at the sunset. "I promised your father I would keep you safe when you became my apprentice. I still stand by that promise."

"I'm a full Ranger now. My job is to keep Araluen safe. By taking yours and Will's life with mine, I would be taking two superb defenders away from Araluen. That would be like tearing down the walls to Castle Araluen. You have to leave if the chance comes." Gilan had a determined look. He would face death okay, but he would face it better if he knew Halt and Will had gotten away.

"I won't Gilan. I couldn't live with myself. I would live, but I would live knowing I should have stayed with you. I won't leave you. I'll send Will off if the chance arrives, but I'm staying."

"What about Pauline? What about Crowley? What about Abelard? You don't even seem like you're thinking of a plan to get out. You seem like you've given up." Gilan looked at Halt. He wanted Halt to live more than anything.

"What about Jenny? What about Blaze? I haven't given up, you have. You're accepting death. The only time to do that is when the blade comes down to cut your throat. I will either get you out of here with me or I won't get out at all." Halt sighed. "Just forget it for now. We might as well get some sleep. I think Will's already drifted off." Halt rolled over as best as he could and closed his eyes.

Gilan watched the sun set and the moon rise. He watched the stars begin to pop out and he didn't get the least bit tired. He continued to think about what Halt had said about giving up. He was right, he had given up. He had blamed himself and tricked himself into thinking he deserved death.

"I will get us out of this mess. No matter what," He said to himself.

He finally let himself drift off to sleep with that thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 7: Death Day

In the morning, the wagon was pulled up by the stage that had been set up in the town center. It was wooden and on it was nothing.

The prisoners were told that they would be ended at noon when all the merchants and inhabitants would be there for the event. Everybody in the village and for miles around had been gathering since news reached them that sorcerers had been captured.

The prisoners sat in the wagon. Will was looking around for any chance of escape. Halt was doing the same as Will and occasionally trying to cheer Gilan up. Gilan sat in the wagon going over the plans that came to him, discarding all the hopeless ones. He wasn't going to just give up.

By noon, the town center was crowded with people from lowly beggars to the high class castle livers. The killing of a magic person was quite an event in their eyes.

When the center was so packed that nobody else could possibly get in, Will, Halt and Gilan were led to the stage each bound separately. They climbed the steps and lined up side by side. To their surprise, Tug, Abelard and Blaze were brought upon the stage led by stable boys. The horses looked depressed. As if they knew what was happening.

"Is it time to give up Halt?" Gilan looked at the crowd. For once in his life, he felt truly depressed. None of his natural humor was with him now.

"Not yet. When that blade comes down towards you, it will be time. But not now." Halt looked at Will. "That goes for you to" Will nodded. He was being quite brave for his age.

"I won't give up," Will said defiantly.

"I want you to know that I'm proud of all the things that you've accomplished." Halt looked at Gilan. "You also."

Their conversation was cut off by the loud voice of the wagon driver. "We have captured sorcerers by the border! Today we will behead them and their demon animals!" The crowd cheered. "Algernon has the honor to behead these things! He was the brave one who captured them and who brought them here!" The crowd went berserk. "You! The one on the right!" The driver pointed at Gilan.

Gilan looked at Halt with a sad glint in his eye, Halt nodded. Gilan then walked forward and knelt on the ground. He laid his neck on the block of wood, leaving his head to hang over a basket.

Despite the circumstances, Gilan smiled. A genuine smile. For at that moment, all the good things in his life flashed by. Jenny, Halt, Will, Blaze, Meric Fief, Crowley and his father. He smiled even broader when he realized that after all he'd been through, he was dying by the blade of an ax for being accused of magic.

"What a funny ending," He said quietly.

Halt watched Gilan face death like a hero. He watched as Algernon approached Gilan and the crowd went wild. Halt felt a wave of hatred for the man. It was the man who took pleasure in knocking him out. He glared at him and made a decision. Halt watched as the man raised the ax and the crowd was on the edge of insanity.

He looked at the side of the man that was facing him. He suddenly felt himself go into motion. He heard Will shout and he watched as Gilan stayed still, waiting for death.

And then…

**This is getting a little cheesy in my opinion. Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

Chapter 8: Escape

Halt made contact with the executioner. He heard the man curse as he fell and released the ax. He went tumbling into the crowd and Halt managed to stay standing on the stage. He smiled down at the man.

"I have been waiting forever to do that you jerk."

He pulled his bonds free. The entire time he had been wearing them he had been working on untying them in case something like this happened. He bent down and started untying Gilan. Gilan looked up at him and smiled.

"Good thing I'm not dead. They don't have coffee in devil land."

"Who said you were going there?" Halt said while finishing untying him.

"Do you even remember my apprentice years?" Gilan smiled and rubbed his wrists where the rope had dug into him.

"Umm… I'm sorry to disturb you, but we have a problem here!" Will shouted. He had worked his way out of his bonds while Halt had saved Gilan.

It was true. The executioner had gotten back on stage. The crowd watched in silence. Halt lunged forward and grabbed the ax that had been dropped.

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!" He yelled. He turned the polished blade so the sun reflected off it and blinded the approaching man. The man covered his eyes and started screaming bloody murder.

"I've been blinded!" The man toppled off the stage and the crowd backed away, letting him fall on the hard ground. He lay ominously still.

The stable boys looked at Halt once and jumped off the stage, leaving the horses. The people in the front row looked at the proceedings and immediately took a step back so they wouldn't be close to the supposed sorcerers.

"Hurry!" Halt yelled.

He dropped the ax and ran to the horses with Will and Gilan close behind. They mounted the horses and bounded off the stage, plowing through the crowd. Most of the people jumped out of the way. After they saw what happened to the ax man, they had no desire to get in the strangers' way.

"Where are we going now?" Will asked as they entered forest. He was riding to Halt's immediate left and Gilan was on the right.

"We are going home. Well, at least I am. I don't really care what you do now. Just don't turn around and head back." Halt made Abelard go faster and the other two riders followed close behind.

**Really bad right? Let me know.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**Minor spoilers for book five and seven**

Chapter 9: Homecoming

The three riders crested a hill and Redmont came into view. They stopped and looked at the Castle with relief. They had ridden hard until they had crossed the border and then continued to ride. It had taken a while but it was worth it.

"Finally we're home." Halt looked at the Castle with relief. For quite a while in Celtica he had thought he would never see it again. "You two can stay for a while until you go back to your fiefs."

"Thank you Halt," The two apprentices said in unison. The trio started cantering towards their home.

They rode across the drawbridge and stopped. People looked at them but paid them no special attention. They looked around enjoying everything around them. It hadn't been long in Ranger standards of missions, but they had been close to death and that made everything seem so fantastic in their eyes. Halt dismounted and Will and Gilan did the same. The horses even seemed to be glad.

"What now? We don't have a report for the king or Crowley. I mean we could tell them about the wild beliefs, but we already knew about all that." Gilan looked around. It was great to be alive.

"I'll write about something. It may just be a complaint letter to Crowley to annoy the heck out of him," Halt said while looking around. Finally he spotted who he had been looking for.

"Welcome back Halt! I really missed you." Pauline walked up and gave Halt a big hug. "I thought it was a small mission, why did it take so long?" Halt turned away and motioned for Gilan and Will to gather around him in a huddle.

"They don't know what happened. I think it should stay that way. If they find out, we may be babied until we die." Halt looked at his former apprentices and they nodded.

"Why would they baby us? We always get into these kinds of situations." Will pointed out.

"Yes, but they never seem to get used to it." Halt turned back to Pauline and gave her a hug in return. "I missed you to." He whispered in her ear.

Will and Gilan started looking in the crowd searching. Pauline noticed and stepped over to them and smiled.

"Jenny's at the restaurant and Alyss is waiting in Seacliff." The boys smiled and thanked her.

"Sorry to cut my visit short, but I must return to Seacliff. The fief shouldn't be left without a Ranger," Will said while mounting Tug. He looked at Halt and waved. Halt waved back. "See you soon hopefully." He then rode off.

"I'm feeling a bit peckish; I think I'll be off to the restaurant." Gilan nodded and rode off on Blaze.

Halt turned to Pauline and shook his head. "Why can't they just admit their off to see Alyss and Jenny?"

"It's the way you trained them." Pauline hugged Halt again and they walked to the stables to put Abelard away together.


End file.
